An education ministry survey for fiscal 2008 showed that the number of violent acts by students continued to increase. Students are using violence against their teachers and fellow students, as well as destroying school property. There has been special sharp increase in the figures for elementary and junior high school students. The slightest shoulder bump can cause one student to physically confront another. Students cautioned for disrupting classes throwing things at teachers. More than 10,000 victims had to go to hospital.

These children are poor at verbalizing, and without that recourse, they express themselves physically. The question is: “Why have children changed so drastically?” The ministry should research and analyze this question and formulate a plan to deal with it. And schools obviously must punish violent behaviors severely while teaching their students never to use violence. Also, it is imperative to recognize the warning signs, so children may be dealt with before they act out their aggression.

Kisako Ueyama, a psychologist who works as a school counselor at a junior high school in Tokyo, says she is struck by the number of children raised in difficult family environments. If both parents work, the amount of time spent with their children decreases. And there are now more single-parent families. Children's emotional stability is also susceptible to family’s financial problems caused by the recession. There are children who grow up with parents who don't make enough effort to understand or support them emotionally. They come to school with stress developed at home.

However, schools no longer have the resources to deal with at-risk children individually. One solution would be to create a support network (other than teachers and parents) to properly watch over the children in and out of school. Ueyama brought peace to a violence-prone junior high school by enlisting student volunteers to help with the children.

It is possible that a child gets along well with a school volunteer librarian or a homemaker. Then providing an opportunity for the child to relax and chat with her might be beneficial. And perhaps, university students who help the children with their after-school classes might become friendly role models for the children, like big brothers and sisters. And if those volunteers notice some slight change in the children, then experts like school counselors can take over from that point onward. There should also be grown-ups on hand at children's hangouts like the local jidokan (children's center) to keep an eye on them.

It seems this "children's crisis" is already too serious to be dealt with by just the immediate family or immediate school. It is now time for entire communities and society as a whole to come together and resolve to watch over our children and support our schools.




Adapted From:
--The Asahi Shimbun (Asahi: December 7,2009)